July 31, 2006

Host team edges Southwest in extra innings
Dugout

Matthew Ramey stole home for the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning Sunday night at S.C. District One defeated Louisiana 4-3 in nine innings.

Ramey got his opportunity from a Louisiana wild pitch.

The win improved S.C. District One's record to 2-0, and increased the team's BLWS winning streak to 6. Louisiana, the U.S. Southwest representative, dropped to 1-1.

Alex Burrell pitched 8 innings for S.C. District One, giving up just three hits. Andy Fowler came in with a runner on second in the ninth inning and retired the side.

The host team scored in the first inning, when J.D. Burgess got a base hit, then moved to second when Matthew Ramey walked. A wild pitch allowed Burgess to reach third, and he came home on Mills Rogers' single.

Louisiana took the lead in the third inning as Graham Fuller walked and Dusty Garner got a base hit. Fuller scored on an infield grounder, and Garner was able to score after a District One throwing error.

S.C. District One tied the game in the fifth inning when J.D. Burgess hit a triple, then came home on a ground ball hit by Ramey.

Louisiana's Graham Fuller got on base on base with a walk in the sixth inning, then moved to second with Dusty Garner's base hit. Fuller came home after two sacrifice bunts, giving the Southwest a 3-2 lead.

S.C. District One answered in the bottom of the sixth. Chaz Anthony doubled, then moved to third on a bunt by Matt Youngblood. Anthony scored on a double steal play.

With the score tied 3-3 after seven, the game went into extra innings, to be decided by Ramey's stolen base in the ninth.

S.C. District One was set to play Panama Tuesday night. Results of that game were not available at press time. District One plays U.S. Central tonight in its final pool game.